Hudson-Bergen improvements, expansion to be studied with FTA grant

Sen. Lautenberg is joined at the 2nd Street Station in Hoboken by Sen. Robert Menendez, Jersey City Mayor Jerremiah Healy, public officials and transit advocates to announce a $400,000 federal grant to identify opportunities for future expansion and improvements to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.Photo courtesy Sen. Lautenberg's office.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded a $400,000 grant to study future expansion and improvements to New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR).

"The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is an American success story of how transportation innovation can turn abandoned properties into thriving communities," said Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, which funds the FTA. "Families and businesses in this region rely on transit and this federal funding will help us determine how to further expand capacity on these tracks and add new service for growing neighborhoods. The Hudson Bergen Light Rail is a case study for effective transportation investment and we'll continue fighting to make safe, affordable transit accessible to more New Jersey communities."

Since its construction, the HBLR has reached near capacity with more than 42,000 riders per day and light-rail stations throughout Hudson County have spurred economic development. The HBLR connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City and North Bergen through three light-rail lines servicing 24 stations. The system, which serves hundreds of thousands of commuters every week, has helped bring significant residential and commercial development to Hudson County and anchors thriving districts along the Hudson River.

This federal grant will allow New Jersey Transit to study three potential improvements to the HBLR:

1. A new station in Jersey City: Funding will evaluate the need for a new station in northern Jersey City to further accommodate and develop new housing and business opportunities.

2. Additional light-rail capacity: There is a choke point near the Hoboken Terminal that constrains the number of light-rail trains that are able to pass. This funding will study the benefits of adding additional track to ease the choke point and add more trains.

3. Traffic congestion relief at Paterson Plank Road: Light-rail cars run along the street, causing occasional traffic backups between the Palisades and Hoboken. The study will review existing conditions and potential solutions to ease traffic congestion in this area.